Addiction Essay 4 Essays

Addiction Essay 4 Essays Addiction Essay 4 Essay Addiction Essay 4 Essay INTRODUCTION Addiction is a chronic disorder proposed to be precipitated by a combination of genetic, biological/pharmacological and social factors. Addiction is a compulsion to repeat a behavior regardless of its consequences (Webster, 2003). Addiction is often characterized by a craving for more of the drug or behavior, increased physiological tolerance to exposure, and withdrawal symptoms in the absence of the stimulus (NIDA, 2008). The purpose of this paper is to review a recently published book that focuses on family involvement in addiction. The book selected for this project was, â€Å"The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment† by Dr. Carlton (Carl) K. Erickson. Dr. Erickson is a research scientist studying the effects of alcohol on the brain for over 30 years. He received his Ph. D. degree in pharmacology from Purdue University in 1965 and taught and preformed research at The University of Kansas and The University of Texas since 1969. He presently is the Pfizer Centennial Professor of Pharmacology and Director of the Addiction Science Research and Education Center in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Erickson is a published professional with over 150 scientific articles and co-authored multiple books on addiction and drug abuse. As a neuroscientist, he believes that addictions are neurochemical disorders. Although, in 1988 the United States Supreme Court declared alcoholism to be willful misconduct (Gerde, 2005), Dr. Erickson bases his belief on decades of comprehensive genetic and neurobiological research that provided evidence that addiction is a disease of the brain with genetic connection. He believes if the addiction is diagnosed early it can be treated successfully. Dr. Erickson is more than qualified to speak on the subject of addiction and any subtopics related to addition. Dr. Ericksons book is written to a general audience and easy to understand. The book provides a clear and detailed overview of current neurobiological information and treatment programs for addiction based solely on science and provides a brief description of genetics. According to Dr. Erickson there have been possible causative genes identified. He emphasizes in his book that any treatment approach cannot rely on pharmacological solutions alone and that treatment must be individualized, but does not go into great detail. Although, he does refer to group, individual and family counseling his main focus is pharmaceutical treatment. The first chapter of the book clarifies the terminology used throughout the book. The next 7 chapters provide a crash course in the basics of the brain, the anatomy and neurobiology of addiction, genetics and pharmacology. Chapter 8 lists various treatment programs offered for the most widespread addictions to include several types of counseling methods and pharmaceutical treatments. Dr. Erickson focuses on addiction as a disease process and dismisses most psychological aspects of the addicted person, claiming the addicted person is not responsible for their condition. Dr. Ericksons simply ignores other research and evidence that support a psychological bases for addiction. Although there has been no clear-cut cause identified for addiction, research has identified numerous factors as potential causes. Potential cause are everything from genetic, physiological, biochemical, social and prenatal factors to emotional conflicts, personality traits, learned behavior and stress. His treatment modalities focus on pharmacological treatments disregarding the psychological piece of prevention and treatment not to mention free will and moral responsibility. Scientific research supports addiction as a disease and also supports the idea that there are psychological factors present as potential causative factors as well as plays a significant role in prevention and treatment, (SAMSHA, 2004). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) family does influence prevention and treatment. One of the individual factors related to successful prevention and treatment include motivation to change drug-using behavior and the degree of support from family and friends is crucial. It is important for the families to be part of treatment. They need to be referred to support groups designed to helping them understand their role is intertwined in the addiction. These groups will provide education about the disease in general and how they will assist in treatment. Although, Dr. Erickson has valid scientific research on the topic of addiction and his research is accepted in the medical community his treatment modalities lacks the whole person concept. NIDA agrees addiction is a disease of the brain because addiction changes the brain’s structure and how the brain works. NIDA explains, the initial decision to indulge in addictive behavior is voluntary, but over time the individual’s ability to exert self control is seriously impaired. Dr. Erickson’s book implies the primary and only contributing factor to addictive behavior is genetic. This is in contrast to NIDA research. NIDA expresses that there are many factors contributing to an individual susceptibility in displaying addictive behavior range from physical make up to environmental influences. According to NIDA only about 40% of the total contributing factors are possibly genetic the rest is psychological, environmental and by choice. The influence of the home environment is in most cases a significant influence. Parents or older family members who abuse alcohol or drugs can increase an individual’s risk of developing their own addictive behaviors. NIDA does support the ideas that addiction is a treatable disease. With the discoveries in science and research there have been many advances in addictive treatment. Like other chronic diseases, addiction can be managed successfully. Research shows that combining medications with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. NIDA and Dr. Erickson agree that treatment approaches must be tailored to address each individual, but differ on the appropriate care plan. Behavioral treatments are recognized by the medical community as an essential part of addiction treatment. Behavioral treatment assists in modifying an individual attitudes and behaviors related to their addiction and increasing their skills to handle stressful circumstances and environmental cues that may trigger intense craving and enhance the effectiveness of medications (SAMSHA, 2004). Getting an addicted person to stop is just one part of the treatment and recovery process. Addiction has disrupted how they function in their family lives, at work and in the community. Because addiction can affect so many aspects of an individuals life, treatment must address the needs of the entire individual to be successful. Treatment need to meet the individual’s medical, psychological, social, vocational, religious and legal needs (Capuzzi Stauffer, 2008). This is why the best programs incorporate a variety of services into their treatment program. Successful treatment programs across the U. S. include cognitive behavioral, group and family therapies as well as motivational incentives. Cognitive behavioral therapy helps individuals recognize, avoid, and cope with the situations in which they are most likely to fall into addictive behaviors. Motivational incentives use positive reinforcement such as providing rewards or rivileges for appropriate behaviors such as for attending and participating in counseling sessions, or for taking medications as prescribed. Group therapy helps individual face their addiction realistically and come to terms with its harmful consequences, and boost their motivation. Family therapy uses the family strength to assist the individual to find resources to continue in treatment (NIDA, 2008). Dr. Erickson is definitely a qualified professional in the field of addiction and has the credentials in his field of study. He is an accepted expert and member of the medical community. Although, Dr. Erickson’s book â€Å"The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment† has valid research and support from the medical community it has areas in conflict with the medical community as a whole in the area of contributing factors for addiction and treatment modalities. His research on the contributing factors for addiction is validated by the medical and research communities, but is lacking in the complete picture of addiction including other contributing factors such as environment, psychological factors and treatment modalities other then pharmacological treatment. He does make some mention of counseling and therapy, but focuses mostly on pharmacological treatments and therapies. Dr. Erickson’s book did not add to or detract from the text used for this course. The information in Dr. Erickson’s book was straight forward and easy to follow, but could be misleading or misinterpreted simply by not including all factors related to the cause of addiction and treatment. His book was consistent with most other addiction research, but did not follow the line when it came to the whole person concept in causes and treatment. This could possibly be due to the fact that Dr. Erickson has a degree in pharmacology and is a Professor of Pharmacology. His views may be biased as a result of his profession. Although, Dr. Erickson has some differing views his research is valid and does provide useful information to base addiction research, prevention and treatment. Although, this book did not directly focus on family involvement in addition it did focus on the genetic link to addiction which is part of the theory linking family to the root of addictive behaviors. REFERENCES Capuzzi, D. Stauffer, M. (2008). Foundations of Addictions Counseling. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ Erickson, C. (2007). The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment. W. W. Norton Company, Inc: New York, NY Gerde, L. (2005). Addiction : Opposing Viewpoints. Greenhaven: San Diego Ca Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003). Merriam-Webster: Springfield, MA NIDA (2008). The Science of Drug Abuse Addiction. Retrieved 10 August 2008, from drugabuse. gov// SAMSHA (October 4, 2004). Addiction Treatment Should Include Family Therapy Practical Guidelines for Counselors. Retrieved 15 August 2008, from www. samhsa. gov/

Ancient Greek Flood Myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha

Ancient Greek Flood Myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha The story of Noahs ark is not the only flood story in mythology: There are many others. The story of Deucalion and Pyrrha is the Greek version. Like the version found in the Old Testament, in the Greek version, the flood is a means to punish mankind. The Flood in the Context of Greek Mythology According to Hesiods Theogony, there were five â€Å"ages of man†: the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Ages, the Age of Heroes, and the Iron Age. The Golden Age was a time of virtue and plenty under the leadership of the Titan Cronus. This delightful period, however, ended in a war when the children of Cronus joined together to battle against the Titans.The Silver Age began after Cronus was deposed by his children, led by Zeus. Now, instead of the Titans, the world was ruled by the Olympians. Less brilliant as the Golden Age, the Silver Age was a time during which human beings refused to obey the gods. Zeus ended the Silver Age by killing the humans who had displeased him and sending them to the underworld.After a period of time, Zeus decided to create a new type of human being. The men of the Bronze Age were strong and aggressive, with weapons, armor, and homes made of bronze. These terrible men worshiped the war god Ares, ate the hearts of their enemies, and finally destroyed one another.Disappointed by the Bronze men, Zeus sent a great flood. The flood was followed by a new era called the Age of Heroes, during which the gre at Trojan wars were fought. Great men were born during this era; after their deaths, they spent eternity in the delightful Elysian Fields. Finally, after the heroes had played their role, Zeus created the Age of Iron. As with all the other ages, it is doomed to a final failure, at which point Zeus will return to remake the world. The Story of the Flood Warned by his father, the immortal Titan Prometheus, Deucalion built an ark to survive the coming Bronze Age-ending flood that Zeus sent to punish mankind for its wickedness. Deucalion and his cousin-wife, Pyrrha (daughter of Prometheus brother Epimetheus and Pandora), survived for 9 days of flooding before landing at Mt. Parnassus. All alone in the world, they wanted company. In answer to this need, the Titan, and goddess of prophecy ​Themis cryptically told them to throw the bones of their mother behind them. They interpreted this as meaning throw stones over their shoulders onto Mother Earth, and did so. The stones Deucalion threw became men, and those Pyrrha threw became women. Deucalion and Pyrrha settled in Thessaly where they produced offspring the old-fashioned way. Their two sons were Hellen and Amphictyon. Hellen sired Aeolus (founder of the Aeolians), Dorus (founder of the Dorians), and Xuthus. Xuthus sired Achaeus (founder of the Achaeans) and Ion (founder of the Ionians).

Augmented Reality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Augmented Reality - Essay Example Whereas adoption of AR in businesses and organisations is still in its early stages, AR technology can be said to have matured to a position where firms can utilise it as an in-house tool to enhance as well as complement business workflow, employee training as well as processes. Augmented technology assists in business innovation through facilitating real-time making of decisions via virtual visualisation and prototyping of content. Augmented Reality also offers the uppermost advantage to efficiency.AR therefore has got the potential to enhance productivity, offer hands-on experience, make simpler current processes, amplify available information, offer real time accessibility to data, provide new methods to envisage problems as well as solutions and finally improve collaboration. Information technology organisations can make use of AR to not only bridge the digital world but also the physical world as well. Thus Augmented Reality is a unique opportunity for Information Technology to offer leadership so as to improve the firm’s interaction with its in-house user base. Nevertheless, firms have utilised AR for in house functions in the past for particular and limited assignments, developing internal solutions for utilising custom software and hardware. It is expected, in future, that firms will adopt AR, especially with the advent of handheld convenient, affordable devices like tablets and smart phones, thus making in house IR applications extensively

Interpetive journey for new testament letters Essay

Interpetive journey for new testament letters - Essay Example Modern Christians are now being swayed by different doctrines as the early Christians experienced. They also struggle with their surroundings in terms of getting rich, educated and competitive. Religions were abundantly affecting the Christians then as they do today. Greek philosophy greatly influenced them also while contemporary Christians are largely influenced by science and technological advancements. Communication is now fast and so is the indoctrination of Christians happening worldwide in just a matter of seconds. The early Christians’ faiths were tested when other doctrines were introduced to them which are almost the same in today’s religious issues. There are those who encourage other teachings because they consider Jesus as only ‘one’ among the many ways to heaven and others even use the Bible itself to explain other teachings. In the midst of these confusions, people tend to be swayed in their beliefs just as the Colossians experienced. Therefore, the words of Paul to the Colossians more than two thousand years ago still speak to modern Christians. It is a challenge for true believers in Jesus to maintain a life that is focused on Him alone and must not be swayed by other teachings. Science, money and power may say that they are what can bring people good life but just like the Greek philosophies; they cannot actually bring people to heaven where Christ is seated. Gods and goddesses of religions may be presented as powerful as God but they can never compare to the God who became like one of His creations, to die on the cross in order to save sinners. Therefore, a true Christian must fix his eyes on Jesus alone so that he would be able to see Him on His second

Leisure Time And Cultural Values Of Biodiversity Environmental Sciences Essay

Leisure Time And Cultural Values Of Biodiversity Environmental Sciences Essay Many people derive value from biodiversity through leisure activities such as hiking, birdwatching or natural history study. Biodiversity has inspired musicians, painters, sculptors, writers and other artists. Many culture groups view themselves as an integral part of the natural world and show respect for other living organisms. Popular activities such as gardening, fishkeeping and specimen collecting strongly depend on biodiversity. The number of species involved in such pursuits is in the tens of thousands, though the majority do not enter mainstream commerce. The relationships between the original natural areas of these often exotic animals and plants and commercial collectors, suppliers, breeders, propagators and those who promote their understanding and enjoyment are complex and poorly understood. It seems clear, however, that the general public responds well to exposure to rare and unusual organisms-they recognize their inherent value at some level. A family outing to the botanical garden or zoo is as much an aesthetic and cultural experience as an educational one. Philosophically it could be argued that biodiversity has intrinsic aesthetic and spiritual value to mankind in and of itself. This idea can be used as a counterweight to the notion that tropical forests and other ecological realms are only worthy of conservation because of the services they provide. Key words:Biodiversity;leisure,aesthetic Introduction Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or on an entire planet. Biodiversity is one measure of the health of biological systems. Life on Earth today consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The year 2010 was declared the International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity is not consistent across the Earth. It is consistently rich in the tropics and in specific regions such as the Cape Floristic Province; it is less rich in polar regions where conditions support much less biomass. Rapid environmental changes typically cause extinctions.[1] 99.9Â  percent of species that have existed on Earth are now extinct.[2] Since life began on Earth, five major mass extinctions have led to large and sudden drops in Earthly biodiversity. The Phanerozoic eon (the last 540 million years) marked a rapid growth in biodiversity in the Cambrian explosion-a period during which nearly every phylum of multicellular organisms first appeared. The next 400 million years was distinguished by periodic, massive biodiversity losses classified as mass extinction events. The most recent, the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, occurred 65Â  million years ago, and has attracted more attention than all others because it killed the nonavian dinosaurs.[3] The term was used first by wildlife scientist and conservationist Raymond F. Dasmann in a lay book[4] advocating conservation. The term was widely adopted only after more than a decade, when in the 1980s it came into common usage in science and environmental policy. Use of the term by Thomas Lovejoy, in the foreword to the book Conservation Biology,[5] introduced the term to the scientific community. Until then the term natural diversity was common, including by The Science Division of The Nature Conservancy in an important 1975 study, The Preservation of Natural Diversity. By the early 1980s TNCs Science program and its head, Robert E. Jenkins,[6] Lovejoy and other leading conservation scientists at the time in America advocated the use of biological diversity. The terms contracted form biodiversity may have been coined by W.G. Rosen in 1985 while planning the National Forum on Biological Diversity organized by the National Research Council (NRC) which was to be held in 1986, and first appeared in a publication in 1988 when entomologist E. O. Wilson used it as the title of the proceedings[7] of that forum.[8] Human benefits Biodiversity supports a number of natural ecosystem processes and services.[10] Some ecosystem services that benefit society are air quality,[11] climate (e.g., CO2 sequestration), water purification, pollination, and prevention of erosion.[11] Since the stone age, species loss has accelerated above the prior rate, driven by human activity. The exact rate is uncertain, but it has been estimated that species are now being lost at a rate approximately 100 times as fast as is typical in the fossil record, or perhaps as high as 10,000 times as fast.[12] Land is being transformed from wilderness into agricultural, mining, lumbering and urban areas for humans. Non-material benefits include spiritual and aesthetic values, knowledge systems and the value of education..[9] Human health Biodiversitys relevance to human health is becoming an international political issue, as scientific evidence builds on the global health implications of biodiversity loss.[13][14][15] This issue is closely linked with the issue of climate change,[17] as many of the anticipated health risks of climate change are associated with changes in biodiversity (e.g. changes in populations and distribution of disease vectors, scarcity of fresh water, impacts on agricultural biodiversity and food resources etc.) Some of the health issues influenced by biodiversity include dietary health and nutrition security, infectious diseases, medical science and medicinal resources, social and psychological health.[18] One of the key health issues associated with biodiversity is that of drug discovery and the availability of medicinal resources.[19] A significant proportion of drugs are derived, directly or indirectly, from biological sources; At least 50% of the pharmaceutical compounds on the US market are derived from compounds found in plants, animals, and microorganisms, while about 80% of the world population depends on medicines from nature (used in either modern or traditional medical practice) for primary healthcare.[14] Moreover, only a tiny proportion of the total diversity of wild species has been investigated for medical potential. Through the field of bionics, considerable advancement has occurred which would not have occurred without rich biodiversity. It has been argued, based on evidence from market analysis and biodiversity science, that the decline in output from the pharmaceutical sector since the mid-1980s can be attributed to a move away from natural product exploration (biopr ospecting) in favor of genomics and synthetic chemistry, neither of which have yielded the expected breakthroughs; meanwhile, natural products have a long history of supporting significant economic and health innovation.[20][21] Marine ecosystems are of particular interest in this regard,[22] although inappropriate bioprospecting has the potential to degrade ecosystems and increase biodiversity loss, as well as impacting the rights of the communities and states from which the resources are taken.[23][24][25]. Conservation of biodiversity Conservation biology matured in the mid- 20th century as ecologists, naturalists, and other scientists began to collectively research and address issues pertaining to global declines in biodiversity.[26][27][28] The conservation ethic differs from the preservationist ethic, originally led by John Muir, that seeks protected areas devoid of human exploitation or interference for profit.[27] The conservation ethic advocates management of natural resources for the purpose of sustaining biodiversity in species, ecosystems, the evolutionary process, and human culture and society. [26][28][29][30] Conservation biology is reforming around strategic plans that include principles, guidelines, and tools for the purpose of protecting biodiversity.[26][31][32] Conservation biology is crisis-oriented and multi-disciplinary, including ecology, social organization, education, and other disciplines outside of biology.[26][28] Preserving biodiversity is a global priority in strategic conservation plans that are designed to engage public policy and concerns affecting local, regional and global scales of communities, ecosystems, and cultures.[32] Action plans identify ways of sustaining human well-being, employing natural capital, market capital, and ecosystem services.[33][34] and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Strategies for biodiversity Strategically, focusing on areas of higher potential biodiversity promises greater return on investment than spreading conservation resources evenly or in areas of little diversity but greater interest in the conservation. A second strategy focuses on areas that retain most of their original diversity. These are typically non-urbanized, non-agricultural areas. Tropical areas often fit both sets of criteria, given their natively high diversity and relative lack of development.[35] However, many animal species are migratory, meaning that focusing only on specific locations is insufficient. Wildlife corridors can help support migration, and is considerably cheaper and easier than clearing/preserving entirely new areas. Some habitats may require restoration before standard conservation techniques can be effective. Conclusions Popular activities such as gardening, fishkeeping and specimen collecting strongly depend on biodiversity. The number of species involved in such pursuits is in the tens of thousands, though the majority do not enter mainstream commerce. The relationships between the original natural areas of these often exotic animals and plants and commercial collectors, suppliers, breeders, propagators and those who promote their understanding and enjoyment are complex and poorly understood. It seems clear, however, that the general public responds well to exposure to rare and unusual organisms-they recognize their inherent value at some level. A family outing to the botanical garden or zoo is as much an aesthetic and cultural experience as an educational one. Philosophically it could be argued that biodiversity has intrinsic aesthetic and spiritual value to mankind in and of itself. This idea can be used as a counterweight to the notion that tropical forests and other ecological realms are only worthy of conservation because of the services they provide.

Older Siblings: A Second Father Figure Essay

Older siblings! Role models, influences, they carry much more responsibility than it appears. Older siblings, whether they know it or not, shape their younger one’s character and personality. Parents are important, but the older sibling may reinforce or disprove some of the lessons that the parents teach. Younger siblings may not admit to it but they look up to their older sibling and they emulate them. Older siblings particularly serve as agents of socialization who teach younger siblings by example about informal social behaviors, like how to act around friends. Younger siblings are also highly susceptible to acquiring older siblings’ negative habits, including but not limited to: underage drinking and smoking. Here’s an example, let’s look at the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, some of you may have heard of them. Wilbur was 4 years older than Orville, they basically invented the airplane and had had the first controlled, powered flight. I think it’s safe to say that if Wilbur had never played with a toy ‘helicopter’ as a child, Orville never would have had the initial interest in flying. The same could be said for the Staal brothers, they play in the NHL. if Eric had never had interest in hockey and played baseball, Jordan, Marc and Jared never would have gotten into hockey. A lot of recent research shows that children learn undesirable behaviours like smoking, drinking and other delinquent acts from exposure to an older sibling’s behaviours as well as that of their sibling’s friends. It doesn’t matter if the siblings are of a similar age or spaced years apart, or of different gender. What is important was that parents encouraged siblings to develop a relationship where there is mutual respect. Parents are better at teaching the more formal settings – how to act in public or how to have manners at the dinner table. But siblings are better role models of the more informal behaviors: how to act at school or on the street, or, more importantly, how to act cool around friends. Siblings are closer to the social environments that children find themselves in during the majority of their day, which gives them a wider influence on them. Should parents support sibling closeness or not? Studies have shown that siblings may have positive or negative effects on their younger siblings. How would parents be able to moderate what the older sibling teaches to the younger one, or what traits rub off? The best method for it would be for the older sibling to have many positive habits, so that theyre is a greater chance of those habits rubbing off.

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